[Vfw-times] Adventures In Chattahoochee Hollar - On Eagle's Wings - PART 1 (7/?)

[Heartsh0t at aol.com]

Cloudchaser was bombarded by dozens of fans as he climbed out of the cockpit
of his little Jenny.  Scores of men, women, and children pushed forward to 
shake
the young rufine’s hand and pat him on the back.  After signing a few 
autographs, Cloud thought of Stephanie.  Why did that little vixen haunt him 
so?   Why couldn’t he keep his mind off of her?  He barely knew her!  All he 
knew, was that for some reason, he longed to hold her, protect her, and make 
her fears go away.  Thinking that she could be mixed in with the crowd, Cloud 
looked through the fans to try to spot her.  No, he wasn’t able to find her 
or her family!   Where could she be?  He looked over at the stands.  The 
mayor was there shaking hands and chatting with Pastor Frye and a few 
townfolks, but no, she wasn’t there either!  A growing frustration swept over 
the red wolf as his adoring fans pressed in, wanting to get closer to their 
hero.  'Too close', Cloud thought.   The rufine looked in and around the 
fans, trying to spot the little fox.  Finally, he spotted her!  He saw the 
side view of the young woman, taking a yellow daisy offered by her younger 
brother.  Stephanie took the daisy, and, as if warned by an unseen heavenly 
host, that angel fox turned her head, meeting his gaze!   Cloudchaser’s heart 
leapt into his throat when her inviting baby blues met his dark red eyes.  
With a warm vulpine smile, she gave him a flinch of her long bushy tail and 
let it gently curl around the bottom of her legs!  The vixen then turned to 
smell the flower, and then slightly turned her head again, meeting his
gaze with another warm smile from her delightful mouth!  A soft giggle played 
on
her gentle lips of the purest honey!  How this vixen made a young man’s blood
boil!  Heart pounding, he barely suppressed an urge to howl.  Then, as wild
butterflies to the wind, she quickly turned, walking away towards the picnic 
area
with her brother, her long auburn hair whipping in the breeze.  Cloudchaser
started to follow suit, not wanting to lose her when a small child shoved a
program and a pencil into his hand.  He looked down to see the pleading eyes 
of
the boy.

“Please, Mister?”

Cloud looked up to see the vixen disappear into the crowd!  She was getting 
away!  But...I...she...!  Cloudchaser looked down at the young boy who was 
starting to frown, and looked back in the direction of where he had last seen 
the fox.  Not wanting to disappoint the boy, the wolf temporarily gave up his 
pursuit and gave an exhaustive breath.  He looked down at the child once more.

“Sure,” the pilot said, smiling at the boy.

Cloudchaser knew he would see her again that evening.  He was supposed to
stay with her family while he was here in Chattahoochee Hollar.  He only hoped
he could find her before the fireworks started.  How vaguely was he aware that
already Roman candles were soaring in his heart!

“W-w-who do I make it out to?”  That little vixen clouded his mind again and
made him stutter like a schoolboy!  Quickly, the red wolf composed himself.

“Billy,” the small boy said, smiling.

Cloudchaser quickly signed the program and handed it back to the excited
youth.  

“Gee, thanks Mister!  Now I’m gonna show it to my friends!”

The red wolf gave a satisfied smile as he watched the boy run off into the 
crowd.

“Be sure to invite your parents to church tomorrow!”  The pilot called out 
to the
boy who had already vanished.

More eager fans crowded around Cloud for autographs, forming a natural wall
and sealing off any visibility he had beyond them.  All of a sudden, Cloud 
started
to get a sinking feeling.


The Foxley family spent the rest of the day watching a baseball game and
participating in the sack races.   Tired and exhausted, Mr. and Mrs. Foxley 
sat
under a tree and watched their children play with the other children in the 
field. 
All except Travis, who was sitting a few feet away with his arms crossed,
watching the stunt pilot giving away free rides.  The vulpine boy wore a frown
about as long as the Chattahoochee!

“Travis, there’s your friends, Wadell and Strogie.  And over there is Little 
White
Mouse.  Why don’t you run along and play with them?”  Travis’s mother asked.

“I don’t wanna play!” Travis sulked.

“Hello Travis,” Mr. Max and his daughter Shelley said, walking up to the 
vulpine.

“Hello,” Travis grumbled as he looked at the smiling otters.  

“Are you enjoying the show?” Mr. Max asked.

“Yeah, ‘s’allright.”

“Travis, my little cousin is coming over to visit in about two weeks.  He’s 
about
your age.  I think you two could become real good friends.  I’m sure he’ll 
want to
meet you.  You two could have a real good time playing together.” Shelley said
as she bent over to talk to Travis.  

“Oh!  That would be nice!” Mrs. Foxley said to Shelley, and then looked at 
her
son.

“Yes Ma’am, that would be nice” Travis said, still disappointed at the fact 
he
couldn’t ride in the plane.

The otter woman straightened up and brushed some hair out of her eyes.  “Well,
we must be going!  Nice talking to you, Travis.  You too, Mrs. Foxley!” 

“You too, Shelley.   We’ll see you two in the store.   Let us know when your
cousin gets here,” Mrs. Foxley said.

“We will, bye,” the two otters told the Foxley’s.

“Bye, and have a nice day!” Mr. and Mrs. Foxley replied.

Travis sullenly watched the otter walk off in the direction of Mr. Shaconage 
and
his plane.  

“You can forget about riding in that airplane!  Your mother said no!”  Mr. 
Foxley
said in a deep stern voice.  “Go out there and play with your friends and stop
worrying your mother!”

“Awwwwww, allright.”  Travis said, rising up and dusting off his overalls.

When Travis was out of hearing, Cheyenne nuzzled up to Jack, putting her head
on his shoulder.  “Maybe I’m being a little too hard on him.”

“Nonsense, the boy’s got to learn to listen and respect his mother.  If you 
don’t
want him riding on that plane, then that’s it!  No more about it!”  Jack 
lovingly
nuzzled Cheyenne and put his head on top of hers as she put her head on his
chest.